College of Computer, Mathematical & Natural Sciences
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/12
Effective October 4, 2010, the University established the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (CMNS) by integrating the former colleges of Chemical and Life Sciences (CLFS) and Computer Mathematical and Physical Sciences (CMPS).
The collections in this community comprise faculty research works, as well as graduate theses and dissertations.
Browse
6768 results
Search Results
Item Active Seismic Exploration of Planetary Subsurfaces via Compressive Sensing(2025) Wang, Jingchuan; Schmerr, Nicholas; Lekic, VedranThe software supports the following study: We present a method for improving seismic data collection on planetary surfaces such as the Moon and Mars. This approach is based on recent advances in compressive sensing technology to reduce the number of data collection points required compared to conventional methods without sacrificing the quality of the resulting subsurface images. We demonstrate its effectiveness using both synthetic and field data from locations with similarities to planetary surface environments. The method is then applied to reanalyze seismic data collected by the crew of the Apollo 14 and 16 missions. Our study has implications for mission planning, as this method can make space missions more efficient by reducing the equipment and time to collect geophysical data on planetary surfaces. It also makes it possible to reconstruct missing or damaged data, improving the quality of imagery and enhancing our understanding of the interior of other worlds.Item TREE GENETICS AND GREENSPACE MANAGEMENT INTENSITY INFLUENCE URBAN TREE INSECT COMMUNITIES, DAMAGE, AND FOLIAR TRAITS(2024) Perry, Eva Emma; Burghardt, Karin T; Entomology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Trees are essential to well-functioning urban systems, providing services that benefit humans and wildlife. For example, arthropods that use trees in cities perform key roles in the urban food web as both prey and predators, but they can also be vulnerable to environmental stressors associated with cities. Previous work documents broad patterns in arthropod communities associated with management practice gradients in urban areas. How these patterns relate to changes in tree genetic background across management types remains a largely unexplored topic. To disentangle the genetic and management associated effects on arboreal insect abundance, communities, and foliar damage, I repeatedly sampled trees of known genetic relatedness for two commonly planted tree species: Acer rubrum (n = 65), and its non-native congener Acer platanoides (n = 71), in June and August of 2023 and 2024. I systematically selected about 3 individual trees growing in four human management intensity categories (street trees, parks and residential yards, urban forest patches, or rural forests) for each of 5 genetic lineages per tree species. I used vacuum sampling to collect mobile arthropods from the lower canopy of each focal tree in June and August of 2023 and 2024, and identified samples to order. I also assessed insect and systemic foliar damage, gall abundance, and select physiological traits in August 2024. I found the general trend of increasing total arthropod abundance with increasing management intensity. However, management effects differed across genetic background with almost ubiquitous interactions between management type and genetic lineage. The most dominant group of insects found on study trees belonged to the order Hemiptera. This group of primarily herbivorous piercing/sucking insects were the primary drivers of these overarching abundance patterns. Spiders, which were the most abundant primarily predatory arthropod order, exhibited the opposite pattern, increasing in overall abundance in the later season, decreasing with increasing management intensity, and generally not responding to tree genetic lineage. In 2024, increasing management intensity negatively affected cumulative insect herbivore damage and gall abundance, and did not vary by genetic lineage. Gall formers were found only on native Acer rubrum, with no galls sampled from the non-native A. platanoides. In contrast, systemic foliar damage did not change with management, and only varied by tree genetic lineage for Acer platanoides. Foliar photosynthetic traits’ variance by management intensity or tree genetic lineage was species dependent; A. rubrum traits varied by tree genetic lineage, while A. platanoides traits varied by management intensity. Overall, my results suggest that tree genetic background plays an important role in mediating management effects on insect populations, particularly for piercing-sucking herbivorous species, but genetic background’s effect on other metrics such as foliar damage and traits may be species-specific. Further studies should be sure to consider the structure of genetic populations when describing patterns of insect use. Results of this thesis will serve to inform best practices for urban tree management and pest mitigation, as cities work to maintain and increase urban canopy cover.Item SENSORY AND HORMONAL MECHANISMS OF EARLY LIFE BEHAVIOR IN A SOCIAL CICHLID FISH(2024) Westbrook, Molly; Juntti, Scott; Biology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Studying the ontogeny of animal behavior is fundamental to ethology and allows understanding how behaviors in early life may affect later life success. The social cichlid Astatotilapia burtoni is an excellent model for examining the mechanisms of early life aggression due to the robust social hierarchy enforced by stereotyped, measurable social behaviors. We examine how hormonal signaling affects early life aggression through pharmacology and CRISPR-Cas9 mutants. We test which sensory pathways convey aggression-eliciting stimuli through sensory deprivation experiments. And we identify kinematic features that predict aggression through machine-learning video tracking algorithms. We observe that aggressive behaviors emerge around 17 days post fertilization (dpf), correlating with when the animals transition to free swimming away from the mother. We find that sex steroids subtly organize behavioral circuits for aggression and suggest that unknown additional mechanisms play a leading role. We show that thyroid hormone is not necessary or sufficient for the transition to aggressive behavior. We show that visual signals are necessary for the full expression of aggression, but in the absence of visual signal, low levels of aggression remain. We show that ciliated olfactory receptor signaling maintains low levels of aggression, as mutant animals display higher levels of aggressive behavior between 17 and 24 dpf. Finally, we demonstrate that swimming velocity has potential to predict aggressive instances of behavior. Together, we find multiple levels of control for early life aggressive bouts from sensory input to hormonal organization of brain circuits.Item GEOMORPHIC AND HYDROLOGIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SMALL URBANIZED TRIBUTARIES TO A FALL ZONE STREAM(2024) Harris, John Allen; Prestegaard, Karen; Geology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Many rivers along the Atlantic Coast contain major knickpoints, which define the Fall Zone. These often-urbanized rivers straddle multiple physiographic regions with spatial variations in lithology, topography, and hydrology. This research evaluates the effects of mainstem channel incision and urbanization on channel and catchment morphology, bed substrate mobility, catchment water storage dynamics, and hydrologic response in tributaries of the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River above and below the Fall Zone knickpoint. Topographic analyses show that differential incision below the mainstem knickpoint has initiated steep secondary channels incised into bedrock. Measurements at representative reaches show that bankfull shear stress exceeds critical shear stress in these newly initiated tributaries, resulting in erosive channels outside of threshold conditions. Increased urban runoff introduced at storm drain outfalls maintains these non-steady state conditions. Geophysical surveys reveal that regolith depth for water storage capacity is primarily below the flatter ridgetops of the tributary catchments, where development is concentrated. The secondary tributaries cannot access these upland storage zones, and thus have limited infiltration and recharge capacity. I installed streamgages in the tributaries and constructed catchment water balances to study storage dynamics and hydrologic response. Hydrologic consequences of urbanizing the steep secondary tributaries include flashy, elevated stormflows, greater total runoff, and reduced baseflows that are not maintained during drought periods. The combination of steep channels, thin regolith, and urban overprint limits infiltration to moderate storm responses and recharge storage. These effects were not seen in non-urbanized secondary tributaries, urbanized tributaries above the knickpoint, or the forested reference streams above the Fall Zone. These findings define the geomorphic adjustment of tributaries to differential mainstem incision and explore the hydrologic impacts of urbanizing small steep catchments with limited effective storage capacity. Supplementary files:S1: Table with the location, drainage area, stream gradient, bankfull hydraulic values, and grain size values at each Northwest Branch tributary and reference reach used in the study. S2: Spreadsheet with the water level logger gage height values collected at 5-minute intervals from April 2023-March 2024 and calculated discharge from the Northwest Branch tributary streamgages. S3: Spreadsheet with the monthly water balance values for the Northwest Branch tributary catchments and reference watersheds from April 2023-March 2024. S4: Table with the depth to bedrock values and corresponding slope angles measured from the seismic profiles and LiDAR-derived digital elevation models.Item THE ROLE OF GENOME ORGANIZATION AND FILAMENTOUS BACTERIOPHAGE ON GONOCOCCAL BIOLOGY AND PATHOGENICITY(2024) Kopew, Jessica; Stein, Daniel C; Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Gonorrhea, caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC), represents a significant global health concern as it is the second most common bacterial STI and has a rising rate of antimicrobial resistance. The first study of this thesis aims to elucidate the causes and consequences of gonococcal genome reorganization. Here I found that when looking at many GC strains’ genomes, each GC strain had a unique genome organization including both inversions and translocation events. I also saw a consistent pattern of DNA high sequence similarity on both sides of the translocation or inversions, consistent with homologous recombination driven reorganization. PCR analysis of inversion events suggests that these large-scale reorganization events are both stable and rare. Growth curve analysis demonstrates a wide variability in growth rate between strains. Proteomic analysis suggests reorganization driven changes to replication termination location leads to upregulation of many kinds of proteins including energy metabolism and antimicrobial resistance associated genes. This study suggests that homologous recombination driven genome reorganization can have large impacts on gonococcal biology and pathogenicity. This study demonstrates the need for future gonococcal studies to use multiple GC strains from a diverse background to capture the wide variability in GC phenotypes. The second study of this thesis sought to uncover the role filamentous bacteriophage play in GC biology. I found that every GC strain currently in the NCBI database at the date of this study contains four filamentous bacteriophage gene regions in the GC genome. I found that FA1090Δfil (a GC strain lacking all four filamentous bacteriophage gene regions) grew poorly at 37⁰C both in broth and on agar, as compared to wild type FA1090. However, there was no difference when the strains were grown at 34⁰C or when grown without shaking, demonstrating the condition dependent nature of this growth advantage. FA1090Δfil formed larger bacterial aggregates than FA1090 WT. When these strains were analyzed for their ability to produce biofilms, no differences were seen in the overall biofilm’s biomass, yet the overall structure of the biofilms were different, with FA1090Δfil producing taller and rougher biofilms. Previous unpublished research in the Stein Lab demonstrates that filamentous phage derived proteins are capable of deteriorating the integrity of epithelial cell cultures and cervical tissue explants. The data from this chapter suggests that filamentous phage provide the gonococcus with a growth advantage, inhibit bacterial aggregation, alter the structure of the GC biofilm, and that phage proteins can lead to loss of the integrity of the epithelium. Taken en toto, these studies demonstrate that both alterations in bacterial genome organization and contributions from filamentous bacteriophage genomes can impact gonococcal biology and pathogenicity, which could be key to preventing and treating GC infections.Item INITIAL LOCAL CYTOKINE RESPONSES AGAINST NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE INFECTIONS IN THE HUMAN CERVIX(2024) Dai, Yiwei; Song, Wenxia; Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) is a human-specific pathogen that causes gonorrhea, a common sexually transmitted infection. In women, GC initiate infection by colonizing the cervix. Although GC colonization can cause cervicitis, most female infections are asymptomatic. Asymptomatic colonization of the cervix increases the risk of transmission and progression to severe complications, including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Despite its clinical significance, the mechanisms underlying GC asymptomatic colonization remain unclear. Using a human cervical tissue explant model, which can mimic GC infection in vivo, my Ph.D. research examined the early local cytokine responses to GC cervical colonization, a determining factor for asymptomatic and symptomatic clinical outcomes. Luminex and spatial transcriptomic analyses found that cervical tissue explants constitutively secrete and express a broad spectrum of cytokines, with particularly high levels of the IL-1 receptor antagonist IL-1RA, the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10, and the multi-functional cytokine IL-6. During the first 24-h inoculation, GC strain expressing an opacity-associated protein binding to the host receptor CEACAMs (MS11OpaCEA) increased the secretion and transcript levels of both pro-inflammatory, like IL-1α/β, and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, as well as multi-functional cytokines, like IL-6 and CFS3, but MS11 lacking Opa (MS11∆Opa) induced much less. Notable, the cervix secreted IL-1RA at 100-fold higher levels than IL-1α/β. Cervical secreting levels of soluble IL-6 receptors, required for activating IL-6 inflammatory functions, were 10,000-fold less than IL-6. These results support an anti-inflammatory-dominated cytokine environment of the human cervix, and GC further push it in the anti-inflammatory direction. Using isogenic GC strains and inhibitors, the mechanism underlying GC cytokine induction and the impact of GC-induced cytokines on GC infection were examined. My research found that GC-induced inflammatory cytokine production involved NF-κB activation in both epithelial and subepithelial cells. GC-induced IL-10 production depended on the activation of CEACAM-downstream signaling molecule SHP1/2. Reductions in inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α and IL-1β, by an NF-κB inhibitor did not significantly affect GC colonization, epithelial cell-cell junctions, or epithelial shedding. In contrast, neutralizing IL-10 or blocking its receptor reduced GC colonization and increased ectocervical epithelial shedding and disassembly of epithelial cell-cell junctions. Thesis results suggest that IL-10 plays critical roles in strengthening the cervical epithelium and suppressing the epithelial cell-cell junction disrupting function of inflammatory cytokines, and that GC further elevate the local IL-10 level to prevent bacteria from shedding off with epithelial cells, enhancing colonization.Immunofluorescence and spatial transcriptomic approaches were utilized to identify the types of cervical cells contributing to the local cytokine response to GC infection. Cervical epithelial cells and macrophages are two of the major contributors. IL-1RA protein and mRNA were primarily detected at the ectocervical epithelium. IL-6 protein and mRNA were also detected in ectocervical epithelial cells. MS11OpaCEA colonization increased IL-1RA transcript levels, while MS11ΔOpa switched ectocervical epithelial cells from IL-1RA- to IL-8/IL-6-expressing. GC inoculation did not alter the transcriptomic program of CD68+ macrophages adjacent to the ectocervical epithelium, maintaining the tissue-repair signature. However, GC changed the transcriptomic profiles of macrophages at the explant tissue side, exposed to media and inoculated GC, leading to increased expression of either inflammatory M1- or anti-inflammatory M2 signature genes. These results suggest that the human cervix utilizes high levels of epithelial-secreted IL-RA, low levels of soluble IL-6 receptor release, and tissue-repairing macrophages at the subepithelium to control inflammation induced by colonizing GC when the epithelium prevents GC from entering the tissue. Overall, my research results suggest that GC exploit the local cytokine response of the human cervix, dominant by anti-inflammatory IL-1RA, IL-10, and IL-6, to facilitate colonization and desensitize immune detection, promoting asymptomatic colonization.Item Biomechanical regulation of T cells: The cytoskeleton at the nexus of force and function(2024) Pathni, Aashli; Upadhyaya, Arpita; Molecular and Cell Biology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The adaptive immune response is a sophisticated and multi-pronged defense mechanism that provides specific and long-lasting protection against infections and cancer. Central to this response are T lymphocytes - immune cells that orchestrate the immune response and directly eliminate infected or malignant cells. T cell function is intricately linked to their cytoskeleton, a dynamic network of protein filaments, consisting of actin, microtubules, and intermediate filaments, which provides structure, facilitates movement, and regulates intracellular transport. While the biochemical aspects of T cell function have been well-studied, recent advances have highlighted how mechanical forces influence T cell behaviors such as activation, migration, and effector functions—all processes driven by dynamic cytoskeletal remodeling. However, the mechanisms by which cytoskeletal dynamics, forces and mechanical stimuli drive T cell function remain poorly understood. This dissertation investigates this interplay, focusing on cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), a subtype of T cells that directly kill infected or cancerous cells. To launch a killing response, naïve CD8+ T cells must be activated by antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in lymph nodes, following which they proliferate and differentiate into an effector CTL population. CTLs eliminate targets via a specialized interface called the immunological synapse (IS), where they release lytic granules containing cytotoxic molecules and exert cytoskeletal forces to induce target cell death. A key event in IS formation is polarization of the centrosome, or the microtubule-organizing center, facilitating directional release of lytic granules. We first examined how biochemical signals provided by APCs modulate the cellular cytoskeleton. APCs provide not only antigenic stimulation, but also co-stimulatory signals required for full activation. Inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-12 (IL-12) act as a third signal, enhancing CTL proliferation and cytotoxicity. Our findings demonstrate that CTLs activated in the presence of IL-12 exhibit enhanced IS formation, altered actin dynamics and microtubule growth, and generate greater mechanical forces, thus highlighting how activation signals can shape T cell mechanics, dynamics and function. Next, we investigated how the mechanical properties of target cells influence CTL function. Employing a biomimetic hydrogel system that mimics the stiffness of target cells, we demonstrate that substrate stiffness modulates multiple aspects of CTL responses. CTLs interacting with stiffer substrates exhibit enhanced spreading, accelerated actin ring formation, increased contractile forces, and more efficient centrosome polarization. Mechanical cues also influence lytic granule release and the nuclear translocation of mechanosensitive transcription factors. This work underscores the importance of mechanical cues in regulating immune responses. Given that coordinated cytoskeletal interactions are crucial for T cells to effectively respond to environmental cues, we further examined this crosstalk with a focus on intermediate filaments, the third, often understudied component of the cytoskeleton. Our characterization of the vimentin intermediate filament network reveals an expansive structure complementary to and dependent on other cytoskeletal components. We study the dynamics and organization of the vimentin network and find a close association of this network with the centrosome. Our results suggest a structural role for vimentin in supporting IS formation. Throughout this work, we use advanced imaging techniques and analysis approaches to probe various facets of T cell function. By bridging immunology, cell biology, and biophysics, this research contributes to our understanding of how physical forces shape immune responses.Item Algorithmic approaches for investigating DNA Methylation in tumor evolution and heterogeneity(2024) Li, Xuan; Sahinalp, S. Cenk; Mount, Stephen M.; Biology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Intratumor heterogeneity and tumor diversity of cancer impose significant challenges on the prospect of personalized cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prognostics. While many studies seek to understand the complex dynamics of cancer with theoretically well-suited biomarkers like DNA mutations, the relative molecular rigidity and sparsity of mutation make it often challenging to reconstruct reliable tumor lineage using mutation profiles in practice. Epigenetic markers like DNA methylation, on the other hand, serve as a promising alternative to elucidate intratumor heterogeneity and tumor diversity. However, systematic research leveraging algorithmic approaches to investigate DNA methylation in the context of tumor evolution and heterogeneity remains limited. Aimed to address critical gaps in computational cancer research, this dissertation presents novel computational frameworks for analyzing DNA methylation at both single-cell and bulk levels and offers insights into methylation-based tumor heterogeneity, tumor evolutionary dynamics, and cellular composition in tumor samples for characterization of the complex epigenetic landscape of tumors. Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 introduce Sgootr (Single-cell Genomic methylatiOn tumOr Tree Reconstruction), the first distance-based computational method to jointly select tumor lineage-informative CpG sites and reconstruct tumor lineages from single-cell methylation data. Sgootr lays the groundwork for understanding tumor evolution through the lens of single-cell methylation profiles. Motivated by the need highlighted in Chapter 2 to overcome imbalances in single-cell methylation data across patient samples for interpretable comparative patient analysis, Chapter 4 presents FALAFL (FAir muLti-sAmple Feature seLection). With integer linear programming (ILP) serving as its algorithmic backbone, FALAFL provides a fast and reliable solution to fairly select CpG sites across different single-cell methylation patient samples to optimally represent the entire patient cohort and identify reliable tumor lineage-informative CpG sites. Finally, Chapter 5 shifts the scope from single-cell to bulk tissue contexts and introduces Qombucha (Quadratic prOgraMming Based tUmor deConvolution with cell HierArchy), which is designed to tackle the challenges of bulk tissue analysis by inferring the methylation profiles of progenitor brain cells and determining cell type composition in bulk glioblastoma (GBM) samples. The work presented in this dissertation demonstrates the power of algorithmic and data science approaches to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in understanding the complexity of cancer epigenomics. With novel computational tools addressing current limitations in methylation data analysis, this work paves the way for further research in tumor evolution, personalized cancer treatment, and biomarker discovery. Overall, the computational frameworks and findings presented here bridge the gap between complex molecular data and clinically meaningful insights in the battle against cancer.Item ACYCLIC CUCURBIT[N]URIL MOLECULAR RECEPTORS: SEQUESTRANTS FOR DRUGS, MICROPOLLUTANTS, AND IODINE(2024) Perera, Wahalathanthreege Sathma Suvenika; Isaacs, Lyle; Chemistry; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Molecular containers are extensively utilized for their exceptional molecular recognition capabilities, making them suitable for use as sensors and sequestration agents. Cucurbit[n]urils, in particular, are recognized for their strong binding affinities, especially towards cationic guest molecules. These applications can be further enhanced by adjusting the size and shape of the host and incorporating functional groups.In Chapter 1, the concept of supramolecular chemistry is introduced, with a specific focus on cucurbit[n]urils. The chapter provides an overview of the development of cucurbit[n]urils and their potential applications. It also addresses the challenge of poor water solubility of cucurbit[n]urils, and discusses the enhancement of water solubility through the development of acyclic CB[n]s. Furthermore, the potential application of these containers as sequestration agents is explored. Chapter 2 describes the synthesis of a novel sulfated acyclic CB[n] receptor (Me4TetM0) and its recognition properties towards a panel of drugs of abuse. The obtained results were compared with two other sulfated acyclic CB[n]s (TetM0 and TriM0). Furthermore, in vivo studies were conducted with TetM0 to assess its efficacy as a sequestration agent for methamphetamine. Chapter 3 presents the synthesis of a series of water insoluble acyclic CB[n]-type receptors and studies their function as solid state sequestrants for organic micropollutants. The results are compared with CB[6] and CB[8]. The time course experiments performed with H4 show a rapid sequestration ability of the five micropollutants studied. Furthermore, under identical conditions, the micropollutant removal efficiency is higher than activated charcoal. Chapter 4 investigates the use of water-insoluble acyclic CB[n]-type receptors for the reversible capture of iodine from the vapor phase. H2 exhibits an iodine capture of 2.2 g g-1, equivalent to 12 iodine atoms per H2 molecule. Following iodine uptake, H2 undergoes partial oxidation, and the uptake of I3- and I5- was confirmed through Raman spectroscopy. Chapter 5 details the synthesis of glycoluril dimer bis(cyclic) ether-based hosts with diverse aromatic side walls. The chapter presents a comparative analysis of dye removal from a solid state and delves into the influence of distinct aromatic walls and various attached substituents.Item THE EFFECTS OF LEAF LITTER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON OVERWINTERING INSECT COMMUNITIES AND ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION: IMPACTS AND APPLICATIONS IN RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPES(2024) Ferlauto, Max; Burghardt, Karin T; Entomology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Fallen leaf management is a widespread landscaping practice in urban areas that not only influences soil health but also affects the overwintering individuals of subsequent year's aboveground arthropod communities. There has been considerable public and scientific interest in the ecological effects of this disturbance, yet little experimental research making it difficult to provide evidence-based landscaping recommendations to stakeholders. This dissertation aims to narrow this knowledge gap, provide information for the creation of best management practices, and encourage further research on this critical topic. In Chapter 2, I compare spring arthropod emergence in residential areas where fallen leaves were removed or retained across different levels of maintenance intensity. In Chapter 3, I focus on the legacies of long-term leaf removal to soil organic carbon dynamics. And in Chapter 4, I examine the efficacy of alternative leaf management practices—such as shredding and leaf piling—on soil microclimates, arthropod biodiversity, and decomposition rates while exploring if tree canopy diversity mitigated impacts to these ecosystem functions. The results of these three experimental studies were consistent across years and habitat types. Leaf removal reduced the spring emergence of Lepidoptera by about 35-45% and reduced spiders by about 50-67%, altered parasitic wasp community composition, reduced soil moisture and temperature buffering, and ultimately led to legacy effects in the soil of reduced decomposition and soil organic carbon. The context in which leaves were managed also mattered, as unique resources attracted overwintering arthropods more when they were scarce in the environment. Despite the potential for high plant diversity in leaf-managed areas to create ecosystem traps for arthropods, tree diversity actually mitigated some negative effects of fallen leaf disturbance to ecosystem function. Overall, I find that some practices like leaf removal and shredding degrade ecosystem processes while others like piling leaves and planting a diverse tree canopy can support ecosystem services. This dissertation is the first to quantify the ecological impacts of leaf management as an urban disturbance and addresses critical questions necessary for developing urban best management practices.